TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court has reappointed 28 chief judges for terms that begin January 1, 2026, and end December 31, 2027.
Among them in east central Kansas are:
Chief Judge Benjamin Sexton who was reappointed in the 8th Judicial District, which is composed of Geary, Dickinson, Marion, and Morris counties. He has served as a district judge since 2001 and chief judge since August 2021.
Sexton graduated from Kansas State University and Washburn University School of Law. He worked as a prosecutor and in private practice before he was appointed district judge.
Chief Judge Grant Bannister was reappointed in the 21st Judicial District, which is composed of Clay and Riley counties. He has served as a district judge since 2016 and chief judge since 2019.
Bannister graduated from Fort Hays State University and the University of Kansas School of Law. Before becoming a judge, he was in private practice in Manhattan and served as an adjunct professor teaching ethics in the College of Business at Kansas State University